Toy train coupling



April 10, 1928. 1,665,758

F. s. UPHAM TOY TRAIN COUPLING Filed April 16, 1927 l rl 12 JnUenZor wilzzes: fFz-anklznlupham mu %Mlom ys Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES FRANKLIN S. UPHAM, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

TOY TRAIN COUPLING.

Application filedAprll 18, 1927. Serial No. 184,358.

The object of my invention is to provide a toy train coupling deviceof simple, dura' ble and comparatively inexpensive construction.

More particularly it is my object to pro vide acoupling device primarily adapted for use in connecting and coupling together a number of toy trains or the like wherein the cars when coupled together will be held in connected relationship and where the coupling can be easily and quickly detached.

Still a further object is to provide an opening in one end of the car for receiving one part of a coupling device and to provide a control pin for coacting with the first part of the coupling device wherein the cars will be coupled together.

Still another object is to provide a control pin that is friction-ally held in the toy car itself and remains in the position to which it is moved.

With these and other objects in View my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a. side View of a toy train having my coupling device shown thereon.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken through the ends of adjacent cars illustrating the coupling device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and Figure 4 is a side view of the control pin formin a part of the coupling device.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral to indicate an ordinary body of a toy car which is mounted upon wheels or the like 12. Each car 10 of the train may be formed of different aha es so that there will be an engine, a ten er, a tank car, a box car and a caboose.

In one end of one of the cars 10 is mounted a hook element 14 arranged with an eye 16. The hook element 14 forms one part of the coupling device and is extended into the car 10. The cars 10 are preferably made of wood and the hook 14 is simply pushed into position.

The eye 16 of the hook 14 is arranged to lie in a substantially horizontal plane. It will be noted that in one end of each of the cars 10 is mounted a hook 14 having the eye 16 forming a. part thereof. In the other end of each of the cars 10 is arranged a horizontal here or notch 18 in communication with a vertical bore or opening 20.

The bore 18 is considerably larger than the opening 20. The eye 16 of the hook 14 is arranged to register with the opening 18 and to be received therein as clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The opening 20 which is vertically arranged is in register with the eye 16 of the hook 14. A control or locking pin 22 is used for connecting or coupling together one car with the other. The control pin 22 is arrangmil with a vertical shank having a hook or loop 24 at its upper end. The control pin 22 is bent at its lower end as at 2'6 and continues with a side arm 28.

The entire control pin 22 is formed of spring Wire and the normal tendency of the control pin is to remain in the position as illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. At the lower end of the control pin 22 adjacent the bond 26 I form indents which are arranged to coact with the hook 14 within the eye 16.

The control pin 22 is inserted in the vertical opening 20 and when this is done the controlv pin 22 is'com-pressed and placed under a tension which causes the control pin 22 to frictionally engage the sides of the opening 20;

The cars 10 are preferably made of wood so that a. very good frictional engagement is had between the control pin 22 and the sides of the opening 20. The pin 22 is designed to project into the opening 18 and through: the eye 16, thus serving as a coupling means for connecting one car 10 with the next adjacent car 10.

The cars may be disconnected by simply pulling the control pin 20 upwardly a slight distance or until its lower end clears the hook 14 at which time the cars may be disconnected.

It will be seen that in a toy train it is quite desirable to arrange a coupling device that is simple and one that permits the child to have something to manipulate and operate. The cars may be uncoupled and rearranged and coupled up easily.

The opening 18 is of sufficient size so that when the hook 14 is placed therein and the pin 22 moved downwardly, the coupling is insured. The frictional engagement retains the pin 22 in position where it serves to connect together the two adjacent cars.

The pin 22 when raised or disconnected from the hook 14 remains in its'disconnected position due to the frictional engagement of the pin 22 with the sides of the opening. The upper end or loop 24 of the pin 22 projects above the car and serves as a handle Whereinthe control pin 22 may 'be en'gaged for moving the pin 22 as desired. l Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device Without departing from thereal spirit and purpose of my invention,a11d it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified "forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope. J;

I claim as my invention:' 1 1. A toy train coupling comprising a'plurality of cars, a hook member connected. to one end of each of said cars, eachhook member having an eye therein arranged substantially horizontal, the other end of each of said cars having a vertical bore and a horizontal bore therein communicating with each other, said hook member having the eye portion thereof arranged to be received in said horizontal bore and means frictional- .ly mounted in said vertical bore adapted to project through the eye of said hook member, said means having an enlarged portion adapted to project below the eye of the hook member. i i u 2. A toy train coupling comprising a plnrality of cars, a hook member connected to the end of one of said cars, said hook members having an eye thereinarranged substantially horizontal, one of said cars hav 'ing a vertical bore and ahorizontal communicating bore therein, said hook member having the eye portion thereof arranged to be received in said horizontal bore and means frictionallymonnted in said Vertical bore adapted to project through the eye ofsaid hook member, said last means frictionally engaging the walls of said vertical bore for causing the said meansto remain in any ot ts various positions when manually moved.

3. A car coupling for toy trains comprising'. Mar haying an eye member carried thereby, a second car having a vertical and a horizontal bore therein communicating vitlreach other., .said eye member being arranged to lit into said horizontal bore and in reg1ster with sa dyertical bore. and a cou pling pin comprising a spring. wire substantially V-shaped and having. an enlarged loop at the junction point of the sides of the wire whereby said sides mnst be sprnngtoward each other when the coupling pin is inserted ,inwthe vertical bore and they. willthereby frictionally engagethe Wall of said bore.

4. A car couplingitor toy trains comprising a car having an eye member carried thereby, a second car having a vertical and lmrizontal bore therein and incommunication witheach other, said eye member being arrangedito fit into said horizontal bore and in register with ,said vertical bore, a control pin having-two, side. parts connected together at their lower ends, said side parts 't'rictionally engaging the walls of said vertical bore, said side partsat their connected ends'being arranged to project through said eye member as and for the purposes stated. 5. A car coupling for. toy trains comprising a car having an eye member carried thereby, a second car having a vertical and a horizontal bore therein and in communi- 'tical bore, said sideiparts at their connected endsbeing'arranged to project through said eye member and provided with anindent lo1':'forming an enlarged head at their connected ends. JDes Moines, Iowa, March 8,1927. i

r AnKLrN s. UPHAM. 

